(The Chairman of LGSC, Hon. Kamal Bayewu addressing his hosts)
The Lagos State Local Government Commission has called on the 57 Local Government and Local Government Development Areas to look inward and develop their tourism potential for revenue generation.
The Chairman of LGSC, Hon. Kamal Bayewu made this call when he led a team on an annual working visits to the 57LG/LCDAs.
He said, “I encourage you to look inward and develop the tourism potential in your respective Councils. This charge isparticularly direct at the newly redesignated Officers in the Tourism Cadre recently deployed to all the Local Governments/Local Council Development Areas to work on Internally Generated Revenue.”
The visit was part of the oversight and supervisory functions of the Commission over the Council Areas.
Bayewu said the essence of the visit was to create a platform for interactions between the Councils and the Commission to foster good working relationships, mutual understanding over staff welfare and general administration among others
According to him, major issues that featured prominently during the visits are staff deployment policy, staff health and well-being, embracing ICT for efficient service delivery, developing the tourism potential of each Council, training junior staff to avoid stagnation and the celebration of staff exiting the service after years of meritorious service.
He said the Team also harped on the importance of having a healthy workforce and advised that staff health and well-being should be accorded due attention to achieve the desired productivity at the Local Government Level.
In his words, “In line with the dictates of the Greater Lagos initiative and the THEMES Plus Agenda of the State Government particularly in making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, Staff of the Local Governments were enjoined by the Commission to embrace IT knowledge in their operations to be at par with their colleagues using global best practices”.
“Part of the issues also discussed during the visits was the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Councils are encouraged to look inward and develop the tourism potential in their respective Councils. This charge was particularly directed at the newly redesignated Officers in the Tourism Cadre recently deployed to all the Local Governments/Local Council Development Areas”, he added.
He stated further that the Commission intends to give necessary assistance to Tourism Officers to ensure they are successful in developing and harnessing the various potentials of their respective Council Areas towards boosting their IGRs.
Bayewu averred that all the local Councils were directed to always celebrate exiting staff during Statutory Retirements to show appreciation and also serve as motivation to serving officers during their Last Day in office ceremonies.
Many of the Council Chairmen expressed deep appreciation to the Commission’s Leadership and Management Team for the congenial atmosphere created by the visits and that it was highly encouraging that the Commission was interested in staff welfare and the smooth running of the Councils.
The Permanent Secretary of LGSC, Mr. Akinbode Obadina further assured that the Commission was ready to listen, partner and assist the Councils in whatever form to ensure improved performances at the Local Government levels.
Other members of the Visiting Team include the Commissioners representing each of the five Divisions of Lagos State, the Permanent Secretaries of the Local Government Service Commission, Office of the Local Government Establishment & Training as well as Directors of core Departments in the Ministry. The Directors assisted the Team in addressing staff issues arising from functions of their respective Departments among others.
